In Times of Sorrow and Death
by Nightborne
Summary: D is hired by a town to hunt the fickle Lady Khardina. A young man claims D is his hero and the conflicts ensue! Enjoy!
1. So it begins

I do not own Vampire Hunter D, but I am thoroughly in love with his world :D Enjoy!

* * *

A cold wind blew across the barren Frontier lands. Dark shadows could be seen shifting restlessly at the edge a small village. Surrounding them, there lay a haunting aura of bloodlust and despair. A single word commanded them, seemingly issued from the night itself: "Go."

The shadows began their descent upon the slumbering town.

* * *

Silence enveloped the village. A lone traveler garbed completely in black was slowly making his way down the main street. Looks of hatred, awe and lust were showered upon him. Stopping his mount in front of a large crowd of people, he gazed down at them. A sturdy man stood at the fore of the group. His muscular body and height were that of a younger man. However, the graying hair at his temples and lined face betrayed the illusion.

"Evenin'," said the man to the figure in black. "My name is Samuel Totner, and I'm the mayor of this town."

The rider remained silent.

As if this had been expected, the mayor continued. "Of course you know why you're here. If you'll kindly dismount and come inside I may explain further."

The man in black quietly complied. Once on the ground, he cast his gaze about for a stable.

"I'll take that for you!" a boy announced, stepping forward from the crowd. Without so much as a second's hesitation, the man handed the boy the reigns of his mount and proceeded after the mayor into a nearby home.

Upon entering his home, the mayor released a small sigh. He had been taken slightly aback at the appearance of the youth, whose beauty had nearly dazzled him. Turning to the dark figure behind him, the mayor proclaimed sternly, "Down to business,"then eased himself into an overstuffed chair. The man remained standing. "About two weeks ago, our village was preyed upon," he began simply. The man in black made no move to sit or even look directly at the mayor. He appeared completely unattached to the world of humanity. "Three shadow demons were seen earlier that same evening, just outside of town. They're well known servants of the ruling vampire of the region, Lady Khardina. The next morning when we woke up, three people were missing," he paused, waiting to see if the man had any questions. Not surprisingly, he didn't.

"This wasn't the first time some one had been taken," the mayor continued. "However, the people are normally pre-selected sacrifices, as is normal in the North. The folks of this village have done nothing to evoke the Lady's wrath and she has been fairly lenient with us for several generation. However, we don't want her as our liege if she's simply going to make off with all of our people!" Looking at the man's face, the mayor was livid. But, after a moment, he seemed to relax. Such was the beauty of the rider in black.

With a voice that made men and women alike swoon, the youth asked, "Who were the captives?"

The mayor seemed lost for a moment, and then said, "Two young men and a girl. They may not be outstanding members of our community or anything, but they're still our kin, and we want 'em back."

The youth in black said nothing.

"Will you accept? This village may not be all that wealthy, but we've pulled together all of our funds. We can give you roughly one million dalas," the mayor told him.

"What would you have me do if these people have already been made into servants?" the man asked.

The mayor's face fell for an instant, clouding over in thought. He seemed to hesitate before answering, "Kill them swiftly and mercifully."

"Okay," said the youth. The mayor looked up.

"Then you accept? Excellent! If you can, you'll start tomorrow. Rest for tonight. You may stay at the inn. I've already seen to it that a room was prepared for you. I hope to see you in the morning." With this, the mayor stood and offered his hand. After a moment, he realized what he was doing and quickly withdrew it. It wasn't solely because the young man seemed wholly inhospitable, but also because it felt almost sacrilegious to touch this unearthly beauty. The mayor motioned to the door

"Where are the stables?" the rider in black asked.

"Ah, yes," exclaimed the mayor. "Just next to the inn."

Without another word, the youth left.

* * *

The inn of the town was not very impressive. But then, neither was the town itself. The main road consisted of the standard lot: pharmacy, grocery, blacksmith, tailor, supply, doctor and a few others. Everything seemed to be caught in a dusty haze, silent and unable to move. Even the people seemed to move sluggishly as they made their way down the road. As the man in black walked, he saw a dilapidated old shack to the right of the inn, and the smell of warm leather and muck permeated the air. Crossing the narrow street, he entered the stables.

Immediately as the man passed through the open doors, a boy of about fifteen or sixteen ran out of one of the nearby stalls to greet him. It was the same boy who had taken his reigns from him earlier. He had the firm yet lanky build of a farm hand, and muddy boots to prove it. No doubt he was the stable boy.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir!" the boy said excitedly. "I'm Daniel Datton."

The youth said nothing. The boy, Daniel, stared at him in awe. His beauty seemed to blind him for a moment, for Daniel blinked repeatedly then said, "This way to your horse, sir."

As the man in black began to unbuckle his horse's saddle, Daniel watched anxiously, as if every moment was more than he could stand. "Sir?" Daniel finally said. He seemed breathless. "I know who you are, sir. You're Vampire Hunter D!"

Holding his saddle on one arm, the figure in black looked at him.

"I knew it! Wow! I'm a great fan of yours!" Daniel looked as if he was ready to burst with joy. "I've heard so many stories about you! In fact-wait right here." The boy quickly dashed to a room that was in the back of the building. As he went, Daniel seemed to have trouble with his right leg. It wobbled slightly as he ran. Despite this, he returned seconds later with what appeared to be a notebook in his hand. Stopping short of the Hunter, he handed him the book.

"I wrote down everything I've ever heard about you or what people have told me. There are even a couple clippings from the newspaper in there talking about the Frontier's most forward Hunters," he explained as D flipped open the notebook. But then the boy said, slightly embarrassed, "I suppose that you wouldn't think that you had any fans. As you'll see, not all those stories are good. Some say pretty nasty things about you." The man in black, this D, handed the notebook back to the boy.

"How long have you been collecting information?" D asked. Though his voice seemed uninterested, Daniel seemed to nearly jump out of his skin with excitement at the sound of it.

"Only about four years," he replied quickly. "Though some of those stories are over fifty years old." Daniel looked D over with a fast eye. "But you don't look a day over twenty. I guess that's to be expected since you're a dhampir," the boy remarked carelessly. Realizing what he had just said, Daniel clamped his hand over his mouth. Worried , the boy looked to see if D was offended. He wasn't entirely sure if the rider in black had wanted to keep his heritage a secret. Without another word, Daniel held out his hands for the saddle on D's arm. "Let me clean and polish that for you," he said quietly after reigning in his embarrassment. Handing the saddle over, D turned to leave. "Wait!" D halted, not turning to face the boy. "Um, if you don't mind, could we maybe talk some time while you're here?"

Without so much as a glance. D replied, "I have business to take care of."

"Yeah, I figured." Daniel's shoulders dropped. "Well, if you ever have time, I'll be here or at the electronic repair shop down the road. That's my dad's place." With that, D was out the door and heading for the hotel.

* * *

Later that evening, Daniel was working diligently in his father's shop. As his hands deftly moved over a mound of broken computer parts, a large, sweaty man came stumbling through the entrance way.

"What d'ya think you're doing?" wheezed the man. Daniel looked up at him timidly.

"Nothing, pop. I was just finishing what you started earlier. It needs to be done by tomorrow." Eyeing the boy, Daniel's father leaned over to him, their faces nearly touching. He reeked of alcohol.

"Where the hell have ya been all day?" he demanded, swaying drunkenly.

"I was in the stables, helping-"

"Helping that damn dhampir! What did I tell ya about that, huh?" Daniel's father grabbed the front of his son's shirt and swung at his face. The man's large hand made contact and Daniel's head snapped back brutally. A large welt soon appeared underneath his left eye.

"Y-you're drunk, pop. Please, please I'm sorry!"

The boy's father seemed unable to his son's plaintive cries and continued to beat him until he fell into a drunken slumber right there on the counter. Daniel lay crumpled on the floor for an unknown amount of time, biting back tears and letting the fear ease out of him. Cool moonlight lit his discolored body. His father was making a habit of this ever since he had found Daniel's notebook two months before. He simply couldn't understand why his son would revere something as vile as a Noble's offspring. Daniel himself didn't even know. Something about the inhospitable yet valiant figure of D stoked a fire in his chest.

Daniel waited until the unwarrented shaking in his limbs had ceased before picking himself off the floor. His right leg buckled slightly under him, causing him to stagger. With one final glance at his snoring father, Daniel crept out of the shop. Bruised and bleeding, he left in search of somewhere-or someone-safer.

* * *

Dun dun dunnnnn! I tried to stick to a Kikuchi-esque tone, but no one can match the master. Tell me what you think? :3


	2. Uncomfortable silence

Again, don't own D or the Frontier or the Nobility or... Well, yeah, you get it ;)

* * *

As D walked into the inn, the tired-looking man at the front desk seemed to be shocked into awareness. "Well I'll be..." he muttered, his eyes fixed on the dark figure gracefully coming over to him. Both fear and awe resided in his gaze.

"The mayor said you had a room for me," D said simply.

The man at the front desk didn't seem to know what to do for a moment, his eyes still trained on D's face. Then, with a quick shake of his head, he fumbled around for the room key. "Follow me, if you will," said the man. He seemed distracted.

Leading D up the stairs, the man-presumably the innkeeper-showed him to his room. Not surprisingly, the inn was almost silent. Small villages such as these rarely got any visitors when it wasn't harvesting season. Before handing over the key, the innkeeper turned and began, "I'm sure I don't need to tell you," he took a deep breath, "but we're all a little wary of you. You probably know that I'm gonna have to keep an eye on you to make sure you don't, well, do anything to none of the townsfolk." The innkeeper waited for a response, then became flustered. "Not that I think you would, but I'm sure you know how it is." Saying this, he gave D the key and headed back downstairs. "Goodnight," he called to the man in black, who was retreating into his room.

It was nearing midnight on the Frontier. There was a calming wind blowing through the village. The sound of the rustling trees seemed almost like a lullaby issued from Mother Nature herself. This sect of the Frontier was strangely void of mutants, especially surrounding this town. That was probably one of the services offered by the now abhorred Lady Khardina. Alone in his room, Vampire Hunter D had disrobed his long black coat, hat and sword. Lying upon the small bed of the inn, he appeared to be asleep.

Until, suddenly, his eyes flickered open. There was the soft, muffled sound of footsteps coming down the hall towards his room. In one fluid motion, D grabbed his sword and stood. There was a light knock on his door. "Come in," he said. After a moment's hesitation, the door slowly swung open. Daniel, the stable boy, stood in the doorway. His clothes were torn in several places and bruises stood out vividly on his starlight-bleached skin. Here and there, smears of blood could be seen as well.

"S-sorry for coming to you so late," he started. "I'm sure you were resting and all... I just didn't know of any where else to go. Most folks don't like me 'cause of my dad," he explained in a tired, pained voice. D said nothing and remained standing, sword in hand. Daniel shifted his weight on to his left leg and seemed at a loss for man before him seemed as welcoming as a wall of ice. "Well... I guess it was silly of me to have come here, huh?" the boy smiled weakly. "Yeah, it was. I'll just go on back home, I suppose."

Just as Daniel was about to limp away, D put his sword to the side and stepped up to him. Unable to contain his surprise, Daniel stood stock still as D began to examine the various cuts and bruises on his face and arms. The boy's heart thundered in his chest, but was it excitement or fear that made it do so? He knew that the man before him was a dhampir, and despite his admiration the boy had been ingrained with the terror of the Nobility since he was a small child. What would this man do at the sight of Daniel's blood, which was slowly leaking from his wounds?

After a few more silent moments, D said, "You may stay here tonight." Relief fluttered through Daniel and bright smile rose to his lips, revealing a chipped tooth. The crookedness of the grin only made it that much more endearing.

"Thanks so much," he breathed. D stepped back into the room, followed by Daniel. He looked around the small room, at the single bed, then back at D. He seemed a little lost.

"Take the bed," D said succinctly.

"But I-" Daniel was about to protest, when he realized that there was no arguing with D. His tone and demeanor brooked no objection. Without another word, Daniel climbed into the bed and fell fast asleep.

D, on the floor, shut his eyes lightly. Not long after, a hoarse voice floated up from around his waist. "Why are you being so sweet with that kid?" Not surprisingly, there was no reply. "You sense it too, don't you? There's something familiar about him. You know, come to think of it, he does look a quite a bit like-" The voice was cut off quickly. D had clenched his left hand into a tight fist. What had it been about to say?

After awhile, the sounds of sleep and the rustling of trees once again ensued.

Just as the sun came peeking over the mountains surrounding the village, there was a large commotion in the lobby of the inn. Several of the town's men had gathered there and an air of violence hung about the room. Soon, the din escalated to the second floor of the establishment, where there came a loud and infuriated knocking on the door of a certain guest. D, who seemed to have already been awake, got up to answer the door. From the other side of the room, Daniel shot up in bed. His cuts from the previous night had since scabbed over, but he still looked a mess. "Wait!" he whispered. D's hand stayed for a moment as he turned towards the boy. Another angry knock came on the door. "If they find me here, you'll get in trouble! I'm sure it's my pop out there."

"What would you have me do?" D asked. Daniel didn't know what to say. Without further conference, D opened the door. As soon as he did, two men came spilling into the room. On the other side of the door frame, several other people could be seen crowding the hallway.

The first man through to door had been the innkeeper from the previous night. The second man was one D did not recognize, but when the man glared over at Daniel, the boy froze. It had to be his father.

"We're sorry to have come to you so early, but-" the innkeeper began, before he was interrupted by Daniel's father.

"'But' nothing! Why the hell d'ya think my boy is here? That damn dhampir musta got to 'im last night while I was sleepin'," he looked back out into the hall at the other men. "What do y'think y'all are doing? Get your asses in here and get my boy away from that thing," he spat. A couple of the men stepped forward cautiously, readying their spears and rusty pistols.

"Pop," Daniel began weakly. "You know that's not true. D never did nothing to me. I came here 'cause I wanted to." The boy's father gave him a look full of loathing.

"That's only what he wants you to think," said another one of the men, motioning to D. D, however, remained impassive."He's probably got some kinda spell on you, boy. If you can, you try and come on out of there. We've got the dhampir covered," the man finished, raising a stake gun and leveling it on D's chest. D's sword was now in his hand, though no one really knew how or when it had gotten there.

The innkeeper, flustered, said, "N-now gentlemen! Before we do anything we'll regret, we might want to get some hard facts. Let's not go shooting first and asking questions later." Coming forward tentatively, the innkeeper stepped into the firing zone. D, who seemed completely relaxed despite the escalating tensions, made no move to stop him from going over to the boy. With a careful eye, the innkeeper checked both sides of Daniel's neck and his wrists. Daniel said nothing, staring blankly at his father all the while. The innkeepr let out a shaky sigh. "Now, you see? The boy is just dandy." The man with the stake gun lowered his weapon a fraction of an inch. The innkeeper no longer thought that D was a threat to the boy, but rather the mob itself. Would they have been able to shoot accurately and in time if things had turned for the worst? "Though where'd you get them bruises and such from?"

"I fell off a rafter in the stables," Daniel said quickly.

"Well, you best be more careful about where you go from now on," the innkeeper said meaningfully, turning back to face the dhampir Hunter. "I'm sorry to say this, but I don't think I'll be able to keep you here for another night. You're going to have to find somewhere else to sleep while in town." Guiding the boy by the arm, the innkeeper got Daniel to his dad, who promptly dragged him out of the room. Daniel gave D one last apologetic look before being forced out the door. Within minutes, the crazed crowd of people cleared the hall, leaving only D and the innkeeper in the room.

"If it's any consolation, I never believed you did nothing," the innkeeper said. "I heard the boy come in last night and asked him what he was up to. And I know that he didn't get them cuts from falling off no damn rafter, though he would never say as much." He looked up at D, who was gathering his few belongings. "I'm sorry about this craziness, but I really can't have you staying here. There's an old residential sector on the far east end of town. Most of the houses are unoccupied, and I'm sure you could hole up in one of them for a few days."

Silently stepping up to the innkeeper, D placed a handful of gold coins in his shirt pocket. "Wait a minute! You don't have to pay me! The mayor already saw to your expenses here." He began to fish the money out of his pocket, when he looked up at the Hunter.

"It's my thanks to you," D said simply. The innkeeper stared wordlessly for a moment, and then nodded his head. D stepped past him and exited the room.

* * *

It was still quite early when D arrived at the mayor's house. The sun was just beginning to shine fully, signaling that it was perhaps seven Morning. Nevertheless, when D came up to the front door, the sounds of activity reached his ears from within.

D's light knock on the front door was quickly answered by a young serving girl. Looking up at his face, her cheeks were instantly stained scarlet. Awkwardly, she ushered him in to the same drawing room as yesterday. As soon as they entered, they mayor joined them from another entrance. "If you'll excuse us, Jenna. I have some important business to discuss with Mister D," he said to the serving girl. However, she didn't seem to hear him, still lost in the beauty of the Hunter. "Jenna!" Startled, the girl looked over to the mayor.

"Ah... Yes, sir," she stammered, then left.

"Please excuse her. You know how girls get at that age," D made no response. "Yes, well, I have here for you a map of our village and the addresses of the victims' families." Stopping suddenly, Totner turned around. He had heard giggling from the kitchen, which was off to his right. Looking in that direction, he found all four of his house servants standing in the door frame, gazing at D. The Hunter, on the other hand, seemed oblivious. "Ladies, back to work!" Quickly, the girls all scattered and retreated back into the kitchen, tittering quietly amongst themselves.

"Will that be all?" asked D, taking the aforementioned papers from the mayor.

"Yes, I suppose it will be... Well, perhaps not. I heard about the incident in the inn this morning. I hope you understand, but we can't have you socializing with the villagers any more than need be."

"Understood," D said.

"Then thank you for your time. Feel free to come back if you need any help." With that, D left the mayor's home and headed to the stables.

"Not a real friendly bunch, are they?" asked a hoarse voice as D walked.

"This village is like many others on the Frontier," D replied. Who was he talking to?

"True, but doesn't that ever get tiring? We've heard it a million times. The same old 'keep away' spiel over and over. It gets annoying after the first dozen times."

"It's just how they are," D said, turning into the stables.

Much like yesterday, the air was thick and warm in there. However, this time, there was no eager boy waiting to meet with the Hunter. "Where do you think the boy went to?" the hoarse voice asked. Not answering, D walked over to the stall that contained his horse. Outside the stall hung his saddle, polished and freshly worked. As he strapped it to his mount, he noted that the horse had also been washed and groomed. "Sheesh, the kid really wants to impress you."

Leading his horse out of the building, D mounted up and looked at the map and list of addresses. With a gentle tug at the reigns, he headed in search of the home of the first victim.

* * *

Awwww, I love Daniel. Probably one of my most developed characters. Blah... Continuing on!


	3. Belly of the beast

Prepare yourself... this is when it all starts going down :)

* * *

It was pleasantly cool as D casually rode into the residential sector. A slight breeze tossed his long coat as he went. Ahead of him, a handful of children were playing in the street. As soon as a nearby adult took sight of the Hunter slowly advancing down the street, she quickly ushered all of them into her yard. Without seeming to take notice, D stopped in front of a house opposite to the women and the children. Dismounting, he walked up to the door and knocked softly. There was a muffled scramble on the other side of the door, then the sound of a fierce and menacing growl. Shortly thereafter, a young woman opened the door. With one of her hands she held the collar of a large dog, so as to restrain him from getting out. The dog gnashed his teeth at the Hunter, and then began to bark. The woman, who couldn't have been more than twenty, stared vacantly at the beautiful man before her until the dog finally jerked her out of her reverie. "Excuse me," she said. "He's not normally like this," she explained, motioning to the dog.

"I am D, a Hunter. I have some questions to ask you," D replied simply. The woman seemed to understand.

"About my brothers, of course. You probably already know, but I'm Michelle Ferns. Please come in. I'll be right back; I have to put him outside." With a great amount of effort, Michelle dragged the threatening animal towards the back of the house. He seemed intent on the Hunter, for his eyes never moved from his dark form even as he entered the home and closed the door.

"I'm sorry about that," she said, returning moments later. "He's generally very friendly. I don't know what got into him." They were in a small but comfortable living room. Motioning to the couch, she said, "You're welcome to sit down. Would you like something to drink?"

Without answering or sitting, D said, "What can you tell me about that night two weeks ago?"

Michelle sighed, seating herself into an old rocking chair. Her long tresses slipped over her shoulders as she leaned forward and clasped her hands. When she looked up at the Hunter, her big blue eyes were brimming with tears. Even in such distress, she was quite beautiful. "It was very late when they returned home that night. They had both opted to work over time down at the general store, where they volunteer," she paused for a moment, gathering herself. "When they arrived home, I was just heading off to bed. I kissed them goodnight and went to sleep. The next thing I know, there was a loud crash from the back of the house and the dog is barking like crazy. I could hear my brothers running outside, shouting. I grabbed my laser rifle and headed out as well. When I got there, I saw two of the Countess's shadow demons making of with Dominic and Anthony."

"Were you able to wound either of the demons?" D asked.

Shaking her head sadly, Michelle said, "No, they were already out of range when I got out there."

"Do you have any idea why the Countess would want your brothers?"

Smiling, Michelle gave a small shrug. "My brothers a both very handsome. They always have a bunch of girls hanging around them like flies. They're twins, you see. So if she took one, she probably would've wanted the other just as much." Her smile vanished quickly and turned into a grimace. For a long moment, neither one of them spoke. Then, with a shake of her head, Michelle stood up, determination gleaming in her eyes. "I may not look like it, but I'm an apprentice Demon Hunter. If you need any help, I'd be glad to assist you." She paused, waiting for a response. When she got none, she said, "Well then, will that be all?"

The Hunter made no reply. Instead, he simply headed back towards the front door. Michelle pouted her lower lip at his back. He was so succinct, so stoic. This strange young man in black seemed altogether indifferent to her and her troubles. His beauty had dazzled her at first, but now it was his mysterious aura that seemed to cling to him like silk that drew her to him. She wanted to be next to him, fight with him, yet he didn't seem interested in her in the slightest. Quickly, Michelle pursued him to the front. Biting her lip nervously, she reached for the man who was, in turn, opening the door.

Suddenly, there was a loud thump from the back of the house. In a matter of seconds, the same dog from earlier bolted up to the pair, teeth bared and foaming madly. With one final growl, he lunged at D, who moved to the side so fast that he seemed to have vanished for a moment. Michelle, dumbstruck, stood still and made no move to get out of the way as the dog crashed into her instead. In the blink of an eye, the dog once again took off after the Hunter, who was now in the adjoining kitchen. As the beast came at him a second time, D jumped over it, stepped out of the kitchen, and shut the door behind him. As soon as he did, the dog ran smack into it on the other side, and then fell silent. Casually walking over to the fallen Michelle, who still lay in the frame of the front door, too shocked to move, he offered a pale hand. Taking it gingerly, she stood up. Her mouth hung open in apparent disbelief. "Why...?" she began, unable to finish.

"Thank you for your cooperation," said D, gliding past her out the still-open door. Michelle promptly shut the door behind him, and then slid to the floor with an exhausted sigh.

"You've got to admit, that was a little funny," came a hoarse voice from nowhere as D saddled up once again. It was still bright and early, the sun shining ever more cheerfully. However, when it touched the Hunter in black, it seemed slow, sluggish, as if even the sun's rays were in awe of him. "That dog had it in for you."

"Enough," D shot back. The mysterious voice fell silent. Looking at the list of addresses for a second time, D reined his horse back towards town. He knew exactly where to find the family of the next victim.

* * *

Unhurried, D arrived on the main street of town. The paved road was cracked in several places, but the bumping carts and dusty motor cars didn't seem to mind as they went to and fro. All the shops were just beginning to open, and there were several people walking about. As the youth in black made his way down the street, the good people of the town watched him. Most of them were women, caught in the loveliness of his features. However, there were also pockets of rough looking men who gazed at him warily. Some of them could be recognized as those who had stormed into the hotel earlier that day. Giving them no heed, D languidly rode his horse to a shop on the right side of the street. It wasn't all that impressive, but at least it had a hitching post out front. Tying up his mount, D entered the building.

Immediately to the right of the entrance was the front counter. Countless wires and computer parts lined the walls on shelves and in boxes. It was an electronics shop, presumably the one owned by Daniel's father. From the back of the establishment, there came the sound of something plastic falling to the floor. Some one cursed softly, and then made their way towards the front counter. Just as he was reaching for the broom, Daniel stopped short, having caught sight of D. "Oh," he said lamely. He now had a bandage on one side of his face, as well as countless new small marks running up and down his arms. They appeared to be lashings. Casting his eyes solemnly to the floor, Daniel cleared his throat. "I'm really glad to see you again, but I'm not allowed to talk to you. My dad... won't let me."

"I'd like to ask you about the disappearance of Claudia Datton," D replied. Daniel looked up, crestfallen.

"I'm not even sure I can talk to you about that," he said. Then, looking over his shoulder to the back of the store, and then glancing out the front door, Daniel said, "But my dad ran to the store real quick. Knowing him, I think I have about an hour before he gets back. He'll probably stop at the bar. So... I guess we have time." Grabbing two stools from behind the counter, Daniel brought them around the front, offering one to D before setting them down and seating himself.

Before D could begin to ask any questions, Daniel broke in, saying, "I know you've got a job to do, but, as long as you're here, do you mind if I ask you some questions, too?"

Without replying, D asked, "What happened the night Claudia went missing?"

Daniel seemed a little exasperated that D hadn't answered his question. Nevertheless, he said, "Claudia's my older sister. Our rooms are right next to each other. Normally, I can hear most everything she does since the walls are so thin," Daniel's mouth twisted in distaste. "My dad is a drunk, if you haven't figured that out. When he drinks, he's a real monster. All he ever did was hit me, but to Claudia..." he drifted off, his eyes full of sorrow and anger. "She wasn't in her room when she was taken. She knew my dad had been drinking that night, so before he got home she went and hid in the garden. That's when the shadow demon got her."

It took a while for the normal carefree smile to come back to Daniel's face. When it finally did, he eyed D intently, and then asked, "Can I see your sword?" For a moment, D remained still, and Daniel was worried about whether or not D would consent. Then, with his usual grace, he drew his long sword slowly from its sheath. With one hand on the hilt and the other hand gently supporting the blade, D held his sword before the boy in all its glory. If anybody who had spent extended amounts of time with this brooding young man, they might have deemed this action as night miraculous. Daniel's eyes feasted on the beautiful piece of metal work. He noted that it was slightly curved, which wasn't normal for most Hunters. In fact, he had never seen one quite like it. Reaching towards it, Daniel stopped himself. "May I hold it?" Without another word, D handed him the blade, hilt first. "It's kind of light, isn't it? I always though it would be this huge, heavy thing. That's the way everyone tells it." After a few more awestruck seconds, he handed it back to D, who then sheathed it once again.

"Why would the Countess want your sister?" asked D, not missing a beat. Daniel had to think for a moment.

"I really can't be sure. I mean, she was pretty. I don't know, some people even went so far as to call her beautiful. But what would a Noblewoman want with a human girl? I can understand why the Ferns were taken, but it's strange to think that Lady Khardina would want Claudia, too." D said nothing in response, as was his way. Daniel seemed ready to ask another question. However, he hesitated for a long while. Oddly enough, D appeared to be allowing him time to ask his question.

"D..." he began, sounding uncertain."This has always bothered me. I have plenty of stories of you being heroic and killing Nobles and saving people and doing other great things. But I also have some stories where you're painted up to being a real monster. Now that I've met you, I don't really believe the latter ones. Well, I never really did anyway. But I really wouldn't know." Daniel seemed to struggle to choose his next words. "I guess what I'm trying to ask is... Have you ever drunk anyone's bl-" At the exact moment, the boy froze, unable to finish his question. From outside and drawing closer by the second was the sound of drunken singing. It had to be his father. "Shoot!" Quickly taking the stools-which D had never sat upon-Daniel, stashed them behind the counter again. Listening carefully, he decided that his father was coming through the back, which was the employee entrance. "Sorry to cut this short, but I think you should go!" Turning back to D, he realized that the Hunter was already gone.

D was atop his horse at the edge of town. The sun was beginning to start its descent on the horizon. D's shadow was long and malformed on the ground besides him. The faint outline of an ancient castle could be seen in the distance. Surrounding the castle, a dark and ominous mist hovered. Without a moment's hesitation, he rode towards it.

Once he was within a half a mile of the massive structure, the scenery began to change. As twilight neared, the various weeds and brush began to spring to life, forming luscious trees and flowers. A beautiful garden grew up around the Hunter. However, the image was stained with the scent of blood. The blue pendant on D's chest began to glow softly as a warning system sounded some where nearby. A sonic laser rifle wretched itself out of the ground, followed by several others dotted around the Hunter's horse. None of them spit their fires of desolation at the man in black. Not even glancing at the deadly weapons, D advanced.

When the main entrance to the castle was in sight, D dismounted. A rusty robotic voice informed him that a sentry would come and meet him momentarily. Not caring to wait, he easily opened the door that seemed to weigh at least two tons. Frigid darkness greeted him.

"Why, aren't we impatient?" came a cold, sweet voice from nowhere in particular. "You must be a Hunter hired by that village of fools. I am sorry to tell you, beautiful as you are, but you must die here and now. I can't have anyone spoiling my plans." With that, the voice stopped and the floor beneath D and the walls surrounding him dissolved into darkness. Silently, he fell into the depths of the earth.

Back in town, Michelle Ferns began to grow anxious. Her mind continuously strayed to the face of the Hunter who had visited her only hours ago. Almost unconsciously, she touched her right hand. It had been the hand he had grabbed to help her to her feet. With a sudden resolve, she raced to the back of her home. Moments later, she emerged, garbed in a well-used combat suit with several weapons attached to it in various places. With a quick last look about, she ran out the door towards the Countess's castle.

D found himself in dank, underground cave. No light came from above, yet the dhampir could see perfectly well as he slowly made his way. Several skeletons littered the floor and the walls were covered in silky strands—webs. The smell of death hung heavily in the air. The only sound that could be heard was the faint rustling of the Hunter's coat as we walked.

Suddenly, something heavy fell from above about twenty yards ahead of D. An eerie scuttling noise filled the subterranean cavern, seeming to come from everywhere at once. Coming fast, an Arachni-man who was easily fifteen feet tall rushed at the Hunter. His giant mandibles were dripping with a terrible acid that could be used to paralyze his prey. D did not move.

As the monster hurriedly approached, a dark miasma filled the air surrounding the Hunter—a killing lust. With one smooth motion, D unsheathed his sword and took off one of the Arachni-man's fore legs. Emitting an awful screech, the beast crumpled to the floor, only to rise seconds later. With a newly ignited fury in its eyes, the monster lunged, acid flying from its face.

The corrosive spray landed all around the Hunter, searing the walls. However, not a speck touched him. He gave a swift shake of his blade. Acid flew to the ground. Had he blocked the deadly liquid with his sword alone?

The monster, only a few feet away, attached itself to the ceiling and swung at the Hunter with its clawed legs. One of the legs snagged D's coat, while another plunged into his shoulder. Faster than the eye could see, the Hunter's blade bisected the beast, spraying acid and a viscous orange liquid. Calmly, D continued on his way down through the cave. As he advanced, more scuttling filled his ears. It came from above.

Shaking with anticipation, Michelle arrived at the castle's entrance. Several weapons' systems had assailed her as she neared but had been deflected by the Viro-Shield that had been installed in her combat suit two years prior. Readying her weapons, she passed through the still-open door.

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Holy cow! What happens from there? Will D be able to kill the horde of Arachni-men? Will Michelle reach D in time? What's up with Daniel's derpy right leg? (-If you haven't seen its derpiness, you may want to re-read a bit ;) ) Cheers! Review? I think so.


	4. Unfolding

Thank you so much to those who wrote to me! I'm sorry it took so long for me to write another chapter. There will be more in the near future, I promise! Enjoy!

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Upon entering the foreboding castle, Michelle promptly made note of the large, irregular chasm before her. No light came from it and, as she peered into it carefully, she realized that it was utterly dark within. Glancing about warily, she looked for a way to safely maneuver around it. It was then that she heard the strange sounds of combat erupting from the bowels the earth.

Four more Arachni-men made themselves visible to D as they approached, acid dripping from their waiting mandibles. With an easy swipe of his swords, D felled the nearest one as it prepared to lunge at him. The other three scuttled back hurriedly. Taking advantage of their retreat, the Hunter struck out his blade, catching two of the creatures and severing half of their legs. The third one, still unharmed, quickly made its way up the side of the cavern and settled itself above D's head. Without so much as a glance, the Hunter leapt easily into the air and bisected the beast where it hung.

Giving his blade a small shake, D replaced it in its sheath. The two limbless bodies of the Arachni-men were convulsing horribly in death throes. The Hunter paid no heed to them as he made his way back to where he originally fell. Grasping at a natural outcrop in the rock, D began his ascent.

Michelle, after realizing the sounds of the battle below had ceased, had become increasingly worried. Quickly securing the rope that she wore at her waist to the handle of the door, she prepared to propel down into the darkness. Just as she was tying the final knot around her harness, she saw something slowly making its way out of the pit, seemingly attached to the wall itself. Taking a quick step back and readying one of her spears, Michelle watched as the dark shape moved ever closer to the surface.

As soon as the thing was in range, Michelle threw back her arm and aimed skillfully. Just as she was about to let her weapon fly, the strange dark shape was illuminated by the watery light filtering in from the still ajar door. It was D! But how had he managed to scale the walls of the chasm without so much as a pick?

Dropping her spear, Michelle rushed to the edge of the pit. As she neared, she saw D's form launch itself from the hole with an astonishing speed, only to land a scant five feet behind her.

"D!" she breathed. Standing up gracefully, D uttered no salutation in return.

"Why are you here?" he asked, his voice flat. Michelle was taken aback as she fumbled to undo the rope still tied to her harness. He was looking at her, his impassive eyes seeming to see her very soul.

"I thought I could help," she replied uneasily. In truth, she didn't really know why she had come. There was no logic behind her motivation, but rather simply… longing. Now free of the rope, Michelle began to wind it around her wais once again.

"I will be blamed if anything happens to you. Return to the town." And with that succinct demand, D walked back towards the chasm that lay between him and his duty.

"But I—" the words died in Michelle's throat as she watched in awe at what D did next. Taking but a single step back, the Hunter shot into the air, seeming to glide over the darkness like some sort of mystic bird. Landing on the other side of the trench—about twenty feet away—D began to walk slowly into the entreating darkness, leaving Michelle to stand alone near the exit.

Daniel checked the clock in the electronics shop apprehensively. How long had it been since D had left? His gut told him that the Hunter had gone to the castle shortly after their conversation. The minutes felt like days and their passing clawed at him. What if D never returned?

Stop it, Daniel chided himself. This was D! How many stories did the boy have that spoke of the tenacity and iron will of the Hunter in question? As he had done several times since D's leaving, the boy gave an uneasy sigh.

Shifting his weight on the hard wooden stool, Daniel once again focused on the piece of machinery in front of him. It was a small thermal regulator that one of the local farmers had used in his barn. The darn thing had been trampled on by one of his meat beasts and was nearly destroyed. Lighting up a small blue flame from a nearby burner, Daniel set to work reforming the splintered pieces of the high-grade plastic. It would be a lot of work, but it would keep his mind off of D.

What seemed like only moments later, Daniel looked up from his work. He had successfully repaired the element-proof cover and had just started working on rewiring the whole thing when he realized it had gotten dark. From the window on his left, Daniel could see the sun was beginning to dip behind the hills. Instantly, the boy paled. How could he have lost track of time for that long?

As if to make matters worse, Daniel thought he could hear his father waking up from his alcohol-induced sleep. Heavy footsteps were being dragged across the bare wooden floor as he got closer. Quickly schooling his face to neutrality, he began to fiddle with the small, hair-thin wires of the regulator.

"Whatcha doin', boy?" his father demanded as he made his way into the room. Despite the fact that he reeked of booze, Daniel could tell that he was more or less sober. The nap had allowed time for the alcohol to work its way out of his father's system.

"Just finishing up on Craster's regulator, pop. I should be done by tonight. He said he'd pay us a bit more if we could get it done by tomorrow." As he spoke, Daniel made no move to look as his father approached unsteadily then sat down heavily across from him.

"That's good," he said, rubbing his chin. Daniel could see a great layer of stubble there. Without another word, his father picked up a nearby solar-powered two-way communicator and began to tinker with it.

Neither one of them made mention of Daniel's increasing repertoire of cuts and bruises as they worked in silence. They both were very much aware of where they came from. Most of the boy's horrid welts had reduced in size, becoming nothing more than deep purple marks. His lip had been freshly split this afternoon when his father had returned from the bar. His body ached and he longed for sleep, but he knew that he couldn't. Not with the constant threat of his father. Not with the worry over D's absence.

For what seemed like hours, D walked down a long, solemn corridor. No tapestries hung on the walls, no rugs adorned the floor. Clusters of the spider webs could be seen everywhere and a layer of dust on the floor caused D to leave a shallow trail of footprints.

There was absolutely no sign of life in this place. Where could Lady Khardina possibly be hiding three living people in such deathly silence?

Without a second's warning, something black and cold brushed passed the Hunter. Coming to a casual stop, D saw clearly what stood ahead of him. Roughly seven feet tall, an incorporeal dark mass shifted restlessly in front of him. Two gleaming red eyes stared at him menacingly. A shadow demon.

The demon made no move against the Hunter. The two stared at each other in silence for what seemed like ages. Then, slowly, D's hand began to rise, reaching for the sword on his back. As set free from a spell, the demon also went into action, spreading and enveloping the hallway in front of D. In a matter of seconds, the Hunter would be swallowed by that black mass.

A thin silver flash split the darkness.

Rearing back in pain, the shadow demon recoiled in on itself, an inaudible screech splitting its lips. Its crimson eyes bore into the Hunter, filled with loathing. How could he have struck at something as intangible as darkness itself? On the ground near the shuddering demon, a flaccid piece of blackness lay pitifully. It appeared to have been a part of the demon, as it was now slowly oozing a dark, viscous fluid. A similar fluid poured from the front of the demon.

Suddenly, the air shifted. Faster than the human eye could ever hope to follow, D rushed forward, becoming nothing more than a gale of wind. With no chance to retreat, the demon was unprepared for the Hunter's next attack. With inhuman speed an agility, D bisected the creature, black ink spreading from its grievous wounds, painting the walls with their obscure gore.

"My, oh my," came the chilled voice once again. "It seems I underestimated you, Hunter. Could it be that you are the one they call 'D'?" D gave no response, seeming to ignore the voice altogether as he sheathed his sword and carried on down the hall. "Well," huffed the voice, "no matter. Your skill will do nothing for you here. This entire castle is at my command. Why, the very stones quiver in wait for my orders. You have no chance in reaching me, let alone defeating me. So I suggest you simply leave while you still have your life." Coming to the end of the hall, the Hunter stood before a door. The large, ornate frame was built of reinforced wood and steel. At some point in time, it must have been beautiful. However, time had worn away its fine details and dulled its paint to mere smears of gray here and there.

Reaching for the handle of the door, which seemed sturdy enough, D froze. Perhaps sensing a subtle movement from behind him, he turned to observe the hall once again. The simplistic, straight hallway had completely changed without a sound! Two doors had appeared, their facades much more pleasing, drawing in any who might approach. Simply turning back to the original door, D reached for the knob once again. "You fool!" laughed the voice as he opened the door. The moment the door pulled away from its frame, a blinding white light flooded the hall. Suddenly, D felt himself become weightless, like a breath. Then, suddenly, an uneasy resurgence of gravity sent him back to earth.

When the light finally receded, D was able to see where he was. Looking over his shoulder casually, he found the castle looming behind him. He was just outside the main entrance. The door, however, was now securely fastened shut. A short distance away was D's horse, lumbering among the brush. Walking over to it, he mounted and headed back toward the village. Dawn's light was beginning to brighten the eastern horizon.

Upon entering the town, D was met with the apprehensive gazes of a handful of its people. Farmhands, young men, and a few elderly persons dotted the streets. As soon as he passed them, trotting at an easy pace on his midnight mount, a sudden flurry of emotion fluttered through their chests, ranging from fear, to admiration, to sadness. Such was the power and beauty of the youth in black.

Passing through the main street on his way to the old residential sector, a distant and restless voice called out, "D!" Pausing briefly in his advance, the Hunter turned. A bed-rumpled Daniel had just emerged from the electronics shop, holding something in his hands. He had dark smudges under his eyes but a bright smile graced his face as he ran up to the Hunter. As he came, his right leg suddenly buckled, sending the boy tumbling into the dust. As he fell, the thing in his hands—which now appeared to be a small bundle wrapped in white cloth—flew out of his hands and landed a few feet away.

While the dust settled about him, Daniel quickly righted himself, stood uneasily, and then hobbled over to his fallen package. The boy's face was terribly flushed with embarrassment, as all who had been on the street had just seen what had happened. D's face, however, remained impassive as Daniel came forward once again.

"I'm so glad you're back," said the boy, coming up short of the Hunter's horse. When D did not reply, Daniel looked down at the bundle in his hands, pulling at the cloth nervously. "I'm—I'm sorry again about what happened at the inn. And, you know, I would offer my house, but I guess that's kind of out of the question where my dad's concerned..." Daniel trailed off when he heard the hushed titters of the townsfolk rise noticeably. It wasn't unorthodox for a Hunter to rest in a villager's house when hired out by said village and, more often than not, that was where they would choose to bunk. However, for a dhampir, it was very a different situation. Humans will go to extreme lengths to bar anything concerning the Nobility from their lives, especially their offspring. When a dhampir entered a town, there were shown little to no civility, or otherwise run out of town. But, when their services are deemed necessary by the townspeople, the residents manage to barely repress their disdain and fear and allow them to stay within the town limits. However, they were dhampirs were never under any circumstances invited into people's homes, thus Daniel's offer was seen as ludicrous and dangerous.

"Do you know where you'll be staying?" Daniel asked after a while. The Hunter lifted his eyes towards the east. The sun was rising steadily and its light was beginning to flood the streets, indicating that it was perhaps 7 o'clock. Daniel followed the Hunter's look. "Oh, I see," he said. "Well… would you mind if I walked with you? I have a few more questions and…" Daniel eyed the package in his arms once again. Without saying a word, D nudged his horse onwards once again, this time a much slower pace. Daniel, delighted, followed behind a second later.

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I've finally decided how I'm going to end everything (4 chapters in xD). So now I just have to figure out how to get there... Reviews? :3


	5. Unexpected occurances

A short while later they arrived at what appeared to be an abandoned albeit well-kept house. The front yard, although minimal, was not too overgrown and the house itself seemed to be in good repair. D dismounted and led his horse around back where, as one might expect in a functioning town, there was a single stall for him to tether it.

Daniel followed behind meekly, still clutching the package he carried to his chest. Every now and again he would glance down at it, as if unsure of what to do with it. D had finished unsaddling his mount and had turned and gone to the back door of the house which, through either a stroke of luck or carelessness, was unlocked.

The air inside the house was musty and chill. D made his way through the dark space with ease, crossing the room—presumably the kitchen—and venturing further into his temporary place of rest. It was Daniel who found the switch to turn on the lights, coaxing the generator under the house back to life.

Daniel placed his package on a nearby counter in the small, unused kitchen. "Um, D?" he called. Silently, D reappeared, no longer carrying the small pack he had taken off of his horse.

"Won't your father wonder where you are?" D asked smoothly.

"Uh, no, not for a while. He won't be awake for at least another two hours or so. But, um," the boy stammered, looking down at the bundle. "I brought some stuff for you, if you'd like. I mean, I still feel bad that you got kicked out of the inn because of me. So…" Hurriedly, Daniel pulled back the cloth to reveal a good amount of food, as well as two other objects which had been wrapped separately. D said nothing. "I noticed you didn't bring a whole lot with you. I don't know if you actually need all of this, but it's just my way of apologizing. If you don't want it that's fine," he blurted, his face reddening.

"Thank you," D said simply. Daniel looked relieved.

"Oh, and I made this," the boy said, grabbing one of the individually wrapped packages. He quickly unwrapped what looked like a cylinder of metal about seven inches long and three inches in diameter. "It's a multipurpose storage container. It has a thermal regulator on it. It can get as cold as five degrees and as hot as four hundred. You just have to adjust the buttons on the side."

"Thank you," D said again. "I'm sure it will be very useful to me." Daniel smiled brightly. "And what is the last item there?" D asked, indicating with a pale hand. Daniel placed the cylinder on the counter and retrieved the last item. It was a flat and rectangular and the boy handled it with great care.

"I said I had some questions for you, and they're mostly concerned with this. I told you I've been collecting information on you, some of it over fifty years old. Well…" Daniel began to unwrap the object in his hands—and just at that moment, there came a knock at the door. When Daniel looked up, D was already in the front room, hand on the door knob.

"Hello? D, are you in there?" called a familiar voice. D opened the door fluidly. On the front step stood a rather upset looking Michelle. "There you are! I've been looking for you all over!" She huffed, placing her hands on her hips. She had changed out of here combat suit and was wearing a shirt and jeans. However, she still had a gun at her side.

"Why were you looking for me?" D said, stepping back in to the house. Michelle took the opportunity to brush past him into the room. It was then that she noticed Daniel.

"Oh," she said, taken aback. "What are you doing here? Oh, nevermind," she turned back to D. "Haven't you heard? Two more people were taken last night while you were at the castle!"

"Who?" D asked calmly.

"Doctor Foster's daughter and the Sheriff's oldest son, sometime just before dawn. There were two shadow demons, or so I hear. I wasn't here, either. I was busy trekking back from the castle," she said, a little annoyance leaking into her tone.

"I see," D said. Just then, the door to the house slammed shut and the lights went out, causing both Daniel and Michelle to yell in alarm. The house quickly filled with a most unnatural darkness, accompanied by a sickening, hissing laughter.

"We have you now, Hunter," came a voice from the darkness.

"There's no escape," said a second.

"No longer shall you interfere with our Lady's plans," said a third.

"You will die here and now," hissed another.

In the blackness, something lashed out, knocking both Michelle and Daniel to the ground. Michelle quickly sprung back up into a crouch, gun in her hand. She couldn't see a thing and couldn't risk shooting blindly, but she was armed. In the middle of the room where D stood, the was the mellifluous sound of metal on metal—a blade being drawn.

The air shifted violently, and a shrill cry rang out. A dark, almost intangible figure collided with Michelle, and as she felt its claws dig in to her, she fired. The demon let go, laughing. She heard it slither across the room to where Daniel lay. Seconds later he screamed in agony.

D's sword flew. In a matter of seconds, Daniel's cries ceased, turned into curses of pain. As two loud thuds were heard, the lights in the house flickered back on once again, just in time to allow Michelle to see a good half a dozen black smears fade into nothingness. Quickly, she righted herself and went to Daniel. The boy was pale with pain, and blood stained the floor. From his right knee down, there was nothing.

D sheathed his sword and walked over to the fallen boy. Michelle was frantic, "D, help me. We need to get him to the hospital. Get me something to tie his wound with, quick!" D said nothing as he knelt by Daniel's side. The boy was obviously in pain but was otherwise quite calm.

"Can you fix it?" D asked.

Daniel looked down at his leg. "It shouldn't take too long. I just wish they hadn't taken it."

Michelle looked horrified at their lack of concern. "What are you two talking about?"

"My leg," Daniel said, pulling back his right trouser leg. Instead of the bloody mess she expected, Michelle saw a metal plate surrounded by rent skin. "I lost my right leg years ago. That demon only took off my gyro-limb. I can make another one." Daniel looked to D. "How did you know?"

The Hunter said nothing. Michelle, on the other hand, looked relieved. "Well that was terrifying. But there will be more of those shadow demons soon. D, you have to take care of Lady Khardina. Who knows what she's done to all the people she's taken!"

Minutes later, Michelle and Daniel stood in front of the house, Daniel leaning on her heavily. They had managed to bandage his leg roughly. The bleeding had stopped soon enough.

The sun was shining brightly now, staining the world with a watery yellow light. The few people who were up and about stared in wonder and horror at the sight of the ruffled pair. Michelle smiled at them weakly and waved reassuringly.

D appeared seconds later, mounted on his horse. "Be careful, D," Michelle said meaningfully. D nodded, and rode off towards the castle.


End file.
